Flying-machine.



E. E. FUENEY FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28. 191s.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E.B.FU RNEY. FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. E. FURNEY.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2B 1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. E. FURNEY.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APE.28.1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ELLIOTT n. manna, or sr. LOUIS, mssoonr.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1'7, 1914.

Application filed April 28, 1913. Serial No. 764,087.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ELmo'rr E. FURNEY, a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of the city of St. Louis and are the equivalents of the radius and ulna of the wings in the anatomy of the creatures mentioned, and the means for operating the wings include artificial humeri, to which the wings are pinioned, means being provided for causing the pinioned wings to partake of movements corresponding in detail to the movements of the flyin creatures imitated in the operation of my flying machine.

Figure I is a top or plan view of a flying machine embodying the features of my in vention. Fig. II 18 a side elevation. Fig. III is an enlarged detail view of fragments of the radius and ulna wing ribs and one of the transverse win ribs. Fig. IV is a side elevation, partly 1n section, of the parts shown in Fig. III. Fig. V is a vertical section taken on the line V-V, Fig. IV. Fig. VI is a vertical section taken on the line VIVI, Fig. IV. Fig. VII' is an enlarged detail top or plan view of the wing operating device shown in Figs. I and II, and the inner portions of the radius and ulna ribs. Fig. VIII is a side elevation of the parts shownin Fig. VII. Fig. IX is I a view similar to Fig. VII, illustrating a modified form of the wing operating device. Fig. X is another view of some of the parts illustrated in' Fig. IX, showing them in a diifrent position. Fig. XI is a transverse section taken on the line XIXI, Fig. IX. Fig. XII is a transverse section taken on the line XII-XII, Fig. IX. Fig. XIII is a diagrammatical view showin difl'erent positions assumed by the ra ins and ulna ribs.' Fig. XIV is a top or 'plan view simi ar to Fig. IX, illustrating a further modification. Fig. XV is in part a side ele- A, the said shaft said drive chain.

vat-ion and in part a cross section of the modification shown in Fig. XIV.

For the sake of clearness in description and comparison with the flying creatures my flying machine is designed to imitate, I will in the following description of my machine make use of the terms radius and ulna and of the terms humerus and pinion, with the understanding that these terms are to be understood as applied to artificial members in m machine which have functions correspon ing to the functions as found naturally in such flying creatures as I have mentioned.

A designates the car or body of my flying machine, provided with ground wheels 1, and B is the tail or rudder secured to said car or body.

In the preferred form of my invention, shown in Figs. I to VIII, my machine comprises a wing operating shaft C, rotatably mounted in bearings 2 secured to the body having cranks c, which I shall hereinafter term humerus cranks. The means shown for driving said shaft comprises a sprocket wheel 3 secured to said shaft G, a drive chain 4 passing over said sprocket wheel, and a motor 5 for operating Pinion spindles 6 carried by the humerus cranks c of the wing operating shaft receive the wings D, as will be hereinafter described. Each wing D comprises longitudinal radius and ulna ribs 7 .and 8 connected at their ends by cross pieces 9, resilient arched transverse ribs 10 pivoted to the longitudinal radius ribs 7 and loosely fitted toeyes at the upper edge of the longitudinal ulna ribs 8, (Figs. III to VI), and uy members 11 connecting the outer ends of the resilient transverse ribs to the longitudinal ulna ribs 8. The wing frames thus provided are covered with fabric or any other suitable material, so that the'wings are similar in structure to the wings of a fowl or bat, the ribs 7 and 8 acting similar to the radius and ulna of the fowl or bat, and the transverse ribs 1(Yc0rresponding to the mid-ribs of wing feathers. At the front inner corners of the win are transverse members 9 pivoted on the pinion spindles or crank pins 6 on which the wings turn. It will be noted that the axes of the pinion spindles 6 lie at angles to the axis of the wing operating shaft C, so that the outer ends of the wings will move in circular paths much lar center'of a ball and lation is constantly changing during the op eration of the shaft win respectively. 55

er iii diameter than the diameter of the circ es described by the pinion spindles. In addition to being pivoted to the pinion spindles 6, the wings are flexibly connectedto the body A by pinioning devices comprising links 12 connected, by ball and socket jomts 13, to the said body and connected by similar joints 14 to atms 15.

T e pinion spindles 6 move in circular paths around the axis of the humerus cranks 0; and, during this movement, the wings are guided by the links 12. It will be noted that the wings are carried around in substantially circular paths, and during this movement each wing oscillates about the socket joint 14. The axis of rotation, z. e., the axis of the wing operatin shaft C, is fixed with respect to body A, ut the location of the axis of osc1l- C. The result of this combined rotary and oscillatingmovement is a motion resembling the movement of the wings of a fowl or bat. The wingsswing backwardly and downwardly so as to impel the flying machine forwardly and upwardly, and during the forward movement of thewings, they are spread in a manner to buoy the machine. I

M flying machine may be started with a muc shorter surface run than is necessary to the starting of aeroplanes, and the positively driven wings will buoy and propel the machine so that it will travel under full control of the operator at elevations close to the ground.

Figs. IX to XIII illustratea modification in which the wings are supported by the pinion spindles 6 and guided by interengaging controller wheels 16 and 17, fixed, respectively, to the body and wings of the machine. Each pinion spindle 6' is rotatably fitted to a frame consisting of a Wing support 18 having arms through which the pinion spindle passes, and a sleeve 19 interposed between said arms. The longitudinal radius wing rib 7 is rigidly se- .cured to the win support 18 and the longitudinal ulna wing rib 8'. is movable about the axis of a hinged pintle 20. Hinge members 21and 22 connect the pintle 20 to the radius and ulna ribs 7 and 8',

23 designates an eccentric fixed to the pinion spindle 6, and 24 is an eccentric yoke embracing the eccentric 23, said yoke being pivotally mounted on the pintle 20 and rigidly secured to the ulna wing rib 8. It will now be understood that a rocking movement of the eccentric yoke 24 will cause the longitudinal ulna wing rib 8' to oscillate about the axis of the pintle 20.

To understand the operation of the modification shown in Figs IX to XIII, it should be carefully noted that the controller wheels 16 and 17 do not rotate.

The controller V wheels 16 are fixed to the bearings 2 and the j controller wheels 17 are fixed to the win support 18. Whenthe wing operating sha t is rotated, the wheels 17 are tilted so that their teeth successively engage the teeth of the wheels 16-. The Wheels 17 are loosely mounted on the pinion spindles 6, and fixed to the win supports 18. The angular pinion spindles 6 rotate in the wing supports 18 and carry said wing support in a circular path, but the win supports 18 are prevented from rotating about the axis of I the pinion spindles by the controller wheels 16 and 17. The wheel 17 are fixed to the wing supports 18, and these wheels 17 are at all times interlocked with the rigid Wheels 16.

While the wing supports 18 and longitudinal radius ribs 7 are being carried around in substantially circular paths by the pinion spindles 6, ulna ribs 8' are oscillated aboutthe axis of the hinge pintles 20. Oscillating move- 'ment is imparted ,to' the ulna ribs 8 the longitudinalthrough the medium of the eccentric yokes 24 and eccentrics 23,.said yokes being'pivoted on the pintles 20 and rigidly secured to the ulna ribs 8.

The wing movement derived from the modification just described is quite similar to the movement obtained from the mechanism shown in Fig. VII. In both of these wing operating devices, portions of the wings are carried arounda fixed axis, andjat the same time the wings -are oscillated about another axis, the location of the axis of oscillation being changeable in response to movements of the wings.

A counterbalance spring 27, .(see Fig. IX), surrounds the pintle 20 and is secured at one of its ends to the hinge member 22, the opposite end of said spring being secured to a collar 28 fixed to the pintle 20. The function of the spring 27 is to counterbalance the weight supported by the movable ulna rib 8. The pintle 20 has a noncircular end 29 which may be turned to vary the tension of the spring27, and, when the desired degree of tension is obtained, the pintle may be lockedagainst rotation by a ratchet 30 and pawl 31, shown most clearly in Figs. IX and XII.

The structure shown XV is similar to that shown in Fig. IX. However, the controller wheels 16 and 17 are replaced by a wing supports 18 and the body of the flying machine. This flexible connection comprises a pair of forwardly extending arms 32 hinged at 33 to the wing supports 18, arms 34 connected. to the arms 32 by pivot pins 35, and upright links 36 connecting the outer ends of the arms 34 to in Figs. XIV and Ill flexible connection between the 1 1 fixed members 37. The function of this flexible connection is to control the wings in a definite path, when the wing operating shaft C is rotated.

I claim a 1. A flying machine,comprisin a body, a power shaft, crank pins carrie by said power shaft, wings supported by said crank pins adapted to oscillate about the axes thereof, links, and universal connections joining said links to said wings and body.

2. A flying machine, comprising a body, a power shaft, crank pins. carried by said power shaft, wings slclfilported by said crank pins adapted to es ate about the axes thereof, said crank pins being at an angle to the axis of said power fshaft, links and universal connections joining said to said win and body. 3. A- yin machine'comprising a body, wings exten g from said body, and wing operating devices connecting the front inner corners of said to said body, each operating devices connecting the front inner corners of said wings to said body, each of said wing operating devices including a power shaft, a crank pin, the axis of which diverges'from the axis of said shaft, said crank pin being carried by'said shaft and extendedinto the wing so as to constitute a firm support for the ,wing, and-a link,

adjacent to said crank pin, forming a support for said wing. I

ELLIOTT E. FURNEY. In thepresence of M. FALVEY, E. B. LINN. 

